Written Answers Nos. 758-772
758. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health whether guidance has been issued to the HSE and community pharmacies regarding the reimbursement of unlicensed medicines supplied in place of licensed medicines that are unavailable due to national shortages; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52903/26]
View answerUnder the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines and medical devices; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
759. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the number and name of medicines currently subject to national shortages for which pharmacies are routinely sourcing unlicensed alternatives, in tabular form; whether her Department has assessed the additional costs incurred by medical card patients as a consequence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52904/26]
View answerUnder the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines and medical devices; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
760. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health to provide a list of locations where hospital sessions are available for special needs patients under general anaesthetic nationwide; the relevant waiting lists for each in each of the past four years; the number of patients treated in each unit under general anaesthetic in each of the past four years and to date in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52918/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
761. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health the waiting list numbers and waiting times for all specialist services in Dublin and Cork Dental Schools in each of the past four years and to date in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52919/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
762. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health if she will provide details of any assessment undertaken by her Department on extending publicly funded access to the shingles vaccine for cancer patients and other immunocompromised individuals; whether such a proposal has been considered following recommendations from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52921/26]
View answer763. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the estimated annual cost of providing the shingles vaccine free-of-charge to cancer patients who are clinically advised to receive it; whether this option has been examined by her Department; and if she will publish any cost-benefit analysis undertaken. [52922/26]
View answer764. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of cancer patients who have received financial assistance from the State towards the cost of the shingles vaccine in each of the past five years; and the supports currently available to patients who are advised by their consultant to receive the vaccine but cannot afford it. [52923/26]
View answer765. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health whether consideration has been given to including the shingles vaccine on the list of medicines and treatments available without charge to eligible cancer patients under publicly funded cancer care, where the vaccine is clinically indicated to reduce the risk of complications arising during treatment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52924/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 762 to 765, inclusive, together.
I am advised that the shingles vaccine is not currently funded by the HSE for any patient.
The immunisation programme in Ireland is informed by the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). NIAC considers the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland as well as international best practice in relation to immunisation when developing its advice
The current NIAC guidelines state that the shingles vaccine may be considered for those aged 65 years and older, due to the greater burden and severity of disease in this age group and in those aged 18 years and older at increased risk of shingles.
The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has carried out a Health Technology Assessment (HTA) on the herpes zoster vaccine which protects against shingles. A HTA is a multidisciplinary research process that collects and summarises information about a health technology. HIQA’s HTA examined the evidence on the clinical effectiveness and safety of shingles vaccines. The cost effectiveness and budget impact were also reviewed, along with the ethical, social and organisational implications of including the vaccine in the adult immunisation schedule.
HIQA published this HTA on 19 July 2024. The HTA found that adding the shingles vaccine to the routine immunisation schedule, at the vaccine price at the time, for all adults aged 65 years and over would not be cost effective and would be associated with a substantial budget impact.
While the vaccine is considered safe and effective, its protective effect diminishes over time. HIQA also noted the substantial budget impact associated with vaccination. If made available to everyone aged 65 and older, vaccination would cost €218 million over five years.
HIQA's HTA estimated that the five-year incremental budget for eligible immunocompromised persons, as recommended by NIAC (with 100% coverage), would be €56.2 million. This estimate comprised €46.3 million for the cohort aged 50 years and older with non-specific immunocompromising conditions, and €9.8 million for specific groups including those with haematological malignancies, solid organ transplant recipients, haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients and those with advanced/untreated HIV.
Whilst the HTA found that the introduction of the shingles vaccine was not cost effective based on the cost of the vaccine, it found that it could be cost effective for vaccination of those at 75 years and 80 years if the cost of the vaccine was reduced by 80%.
Given that the healthcare budget is finite and decisions regarding increased spending relating to a change in one area could impact the provision of other health technologies and treatments within the healthcare system, the cost-effectiveness must be considered in any decision-making process.
My Department considered the findings of this HTA in 2024 and determined that the introduction of the vaccine could be reconsidered when the cost effectiveness of the vaccine is confirmed as being more favourable
I can confirm that the introduction of the shingles vaccine to the immunisation schedule in Ireland is again being actively considered for a cohort of immunocompromised individuals, in line with NIAC advice and cognisant of the cost effectiveness of market pricing and available funding.
766. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 1085, 1086, 1089, 1092 and 1094 of 19 May 2026, which confirmed there is no separate governance structure overseeing laboratory utilisation nationally, whether her Department will now establish an interim national oversight mechanism pending full rollout of MedLIS and the Regional Laboratory Networks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52935/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
767. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1089 of 19 May 2026, which confirmed MedLIS duplicate detection is currently deployed only in Beaumont Hospital and Cavan General Hospital, the projected timeline and sequencing for national rollout of MedLIS to all other hospital sites; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52936/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
768. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question Nos 1089 and 1092 of 19 May 2026, which referenced a Minimal Retesting Interval Guidance Document currently in development by the Laboratory Services Reform Programme, the expected publication date of this document; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52937/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
769. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1092 of 19 May 2026, which referenced a laboratory utilisation survey undertaken by a professional body with an offer to share findings, the name of the professional body in question; the findings shared to date; whether her Department will publish the outcome of any resulting collaboration; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52938/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
770. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question Nos.1085 and 1086 of 19 May 2026, which confirmed no national modelling of laboratory testing costs has been undertaken and no assessment of the financial impact of duplicate or unnecessary testing has been carried out, whether her Department will now commission such an assessment given the acknowledged absence of a centralised dataset; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52939/26]
View answerI have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
771. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health to examine the detailed referral submitted to the HSE Safeguarding and Protection Team by a person (details supplied); the reason no substantive update has been provided following this referral; the action that is currently being taken by her Department following this referral; the reason the HSE's Mental Health Services are not currently within the remit of the Safeguarding and Protection Team; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52950/26]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
772. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the ratio of midwifes to births in each maternity hospital and unit (details supplied), in tabular form; to identify the sites classified as large units and small units under the Birthrate Plus methodology; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52965/26]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, this PQ is referred to the HSE for direct response to the Deputy.
